Brussels, 15/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - The European Union has welcomed the agreement concluded between Mwai Kibaki, President of Kenya, and Raila Odinga, head of the opposition, on forming a coalition government, as planned in the power sharing agreement of 28 February 2008. In a public declaration published on 15 April, the Slovenian Presidency of the EU welcomed this progress in the following terms: “As partners in a coalition government, the leaders of Kenya show their commitment to work together in good faith to promote the greater interests of their nation as a whole. The coalition government provides the means for the leaders of Kenya to proceed with the national reconciliation and dialogue agreed upon on 28 February. The EU looks forward to working with the new government of Kenya, and states its readiness to support it in the implementation of a coherent and far-reaching reform agenda, to address the fundamental root causes of recurrent conflict and to create a better, more secure and more prosperous Kenya”.
In a press release published on 13 April, Javier Solana, the high representative for the CFSP, paid homage to “the determination not only of all the political actors in Kenya, but also of the international community which has remained united behind Mr Kofi Annan and his panel of eminent African personalities. Returning to normality is vital not only for the Kenyan people, who aspire to peace and prosperity, but also for the whole region””. (A.N.)